Try Not to Panic
by mistressbabette51
Summary: This one shot was written for the 12Days of Clois, "Summertime Food" Challenge, with a prompt of 'pickles.' Summary: Lois and Clark try to come to an understanding about trust and pickles.


A/N: I'm really amazed how these prompts are falling into my lap here! As you all may know, _A Lot to Talk About_ was my first fan fic. I recently updated that story with a one shot for the "Somewhere in Metropolis" Challenge at 12Days_of_Clois at Livejournal, with a story called _I'll Be There for You_. S o now, this piece which was written for the "Summertime Food" Challenge, follows right after that one. Again, you don't have to read either story to know what's happening here. I hope you enjoy it! Thanks again, hanaKT, for giving this the once over, just in case! Thanks for reading, everyone! :D

**~~**

Clark was doing something right now that was rapidly becoming an obsession … watching his wife. Lois was seven months pregnant with their first child, correct that, children. To their absolute delight, they had found out a few months earlier that they were expecting twins.

"Want one?" Lois held up a pickle for him.

"No, thanks. Lois, you always ask me that, and I always say no, thanks."

"Oops, I do, don't I. I'm sorry about that. They're just so good."

Clark chuckled. She always says the exact same thing. He was beginning to think those things were affecting her mental capacity.

It was late at the Planet, Clark had just finished his story, and he was ready to go home. "Lois, are you ready to go?" He stood up to get his coat.

"I'll be done in a little while. You don't have to wait for me, you can leave."

Clark immediately sat back down. "Lois, I'm not going to leave you here all alone, so I'll wait."

Lois sighed. She looked up from her article. "Clark, I said you could leave."

"Are you trying to get rid of me? I said I would stay. I don't mind."

"Clark, how many times are we going to have this conversation? Ever since I was kidnapped, and held captive for what, about five minutes, we've been joined at the hip. I don't think you trust me to take care of myself, not like before."

"Lois, everything is different now, and that's not true. We're not joined at the hip."

"Oh, really? I've heard your conversations with your superhero friends, and they're beginning to think you've forgotten your mission, your other responsibilities. Am I right?"

Clark began to squirm. He couldn't look Lois in the eye.

"Well, its true, isn't it? Clark, you know you won't be able to live with yourself if something bad happens and you're not there to help. I want you to trust me like you used to. I'm pregnant, not an invalid. I can take care of myself. Now, I'll call a cab, the guard will walk me to said cab, and I'll be home in no time at all. Alright?"

Clark sighed. She was right. He was neglecting his responsibilities. He told himself that Lois couldn't take care of herself, but in all honesty, he didn't think he would survive if anything happened to her or the babies. _I can't keep living like this. Lois was loosing patience with him, and I can't blame her._

"Alright, I'll go, but I want you to call me as soon as you get home. How much longer are you going to be here?"

"I don't know, another hour, I think. Could you hand me another jar of pickles before you leave? Oh, and don't forget, we're almost out of ice cream."

Clark reached inside his desk drawer and gave her another jar. He had a pretty good stash for her cravings.

He kissed her on the cheek. "I love you, Lois."

"I love you, Clark."

He went to the exit to the stairwell, loosened his tie, and headed to his other job.

##

Several hours later, Lois was finishing up her article, and was about to log off when she felt a cramp at the front of her stomach. "Oh, that was odd_." I've read about preterm labor with multiples, but according to Dr. Hamilton, I'm not due for another three months. Because of Clark's heritage, he said our babies would be due in ten months instead of nine, but that was before we found out about the twins. Maybe he was wrong. Sometimes twins come at seven or eight months, and I'm coming up on eight months in just a few weeks. Ok, don't panic, Lois. It's just one cramp. It's probably all those pickles I've been eating. I can't seem to stop myself._

Lois stood up to leave, and another cramp hit her again. _That's it. I'm calling the front desk. If I call Clark, I'll never hear the end of it, and he won't leave me alone ever again for the rest of our lives. No way am I calling him._ She also called Dr. Hamilton. He said he'd meet her at his office. He said it didn't sound like labor, just a little cramping is not labor, but he wanted to see her just in case.

She made it down to the lobby. The guard helped her into the cab, and she headed to the doctor's office. Dr. Hamilton did a sonogram and it was just as he'd thought. It was Braxton Hicks contractions. He told Lois to rest at his office for about an hour, and then she could go home.

Lois was so relieved. She had arrived at the doctor's office and the cramps had miraculously stopped. "Thank you, doctor."

##

Meanwhile, Clark came back to the Planet looking for Lois. She wasn't at home and she wasn't at the Planet either. He spoke with the guard, and he told Clark that Mrs. Kent had left about an hour ago.

Clark panicked. Where is she? He concentrated on her heartbeat, he heard it, but it wasn't nearby. It seemed to be surrounded by machines and some kind of noise of some kind.

_Oh, god. I knew this would happen. I knew it. _Clark was frantic with worry.

Just then, his cell phone rang. It was Lois. "Lois, where are you?"

"Clark, don't panic. I'm on my way home. I got delayed at the office, but I'm fine. Everything is fine."

"Lois, I was at the Planet and I talked to the guard. You've been gone for over an hour, so where were you, and why won't you tell me?"

She sighed. "Alright, I'll tell you when I get home. I'll meet you there in a few minutes. Did you remember to pick up the ice cream?"

_What am I going to do with her? I'm going out my mind and she's asking me about ice cream._

"Yes, Lois, the ice cream is in the freezer, and before you ask, I restocked the pantry with your favorite pickles."

"Aww, I love you, Clark."

"I love you too, Lois."

##

When Lois arrived at the apartment, Clark was there waiting for her. After telling him what had happened, he had to admit he was proud of the way she had handled herself. She hadn't panicked. He tried not to think of what he would have done under the circumstances.

Things finally got back to normal after that, as normal as can be expected with a superhero husband, and a wife who couldn't stop working even on bed rest. Lois was starting to get really large, and it was hard for her to get around. So, the last few weeks of her pregnancy were spent at home resting. Lucy and Chloe took turns coming over to see her to make sure she wasn't overdoing it.

Then, the call came for that trip to the hospital. Lois called Clark, and the first thing out of her mouth was 'don't panic, Clark, the babies are coming.' He flew back, and I do mean flew, to the hospital.

Dr. Hamilton met them there, and Clark managed not to loose his mind as the babies were born. Martha, Chloe, Lucy, and even Sam Lane were all at the hospital to welcome the babies to the family. Lois and Clark were truly blessed to have two healthy and beautiful babies, a daughter, named Lara Ellen Kent, and a son, named Jonathan Clark Kent.

After coming home with the babies, Clark was in the kitchen getting the babies bottles. He opened the pantry and saw a lot of pickles, and all the midnight cravings and late night runs to the grocery store came flooding into his mind. _I'm glad that's over,_ he thought.

"Lois, what are we going to do with all these pickles?" Clark asked.

"Did you say pickles?" *blech*

The end.


End file.
